The invention relates to a method and an appliance for cooling with the aid of an adsorption agent, the appliance having as components at least one reactor which comprises a vessel for receiving the adsorption agent, in particular zeolite, with at least one vessel serving as an evaporator and for receiving an evaporation agent, in particular water, and with at least one line which connects the two vessels and which is capable of being shut off at least with the aid of a shut-off member, the vessel with the adsorption agent and the vessel which serves as an evaporator each having at least one orifice and being connectable to a vacuum generator.
An appliance of the type mentioned is known from EP 0 577 869 B1. It relates to a cooling system with a vacuum-tight working-medium vapor collecting line, on which a plurality of connection points for a corresponding number of cold-generating evaporators are provided. In addition, further connection points are to serve for the exchangeable connection of any further evaporators, the connection points not occupied by an evaporator being closed in a vacuum-tight manner.
Furthermore, it is known from EP 0 577 869 B1 that the vessel containing the adsorption agent has easily releasable closures which make it possible in a simple way to exchange the saturated adsorption-agent filling for a freshly regenerated filling.
The known appliance operates in a fundamentally satisfactory way. However, handling is complicated and is not entirely free of problems. The object on which the invention is based is, therefore, to improve handling and practicability and, moreover, to minimize the energy consumption of the appliance.
To achieve this object, according to the invention, the separation and connection to the components take place in each case in a pressure-tight manner and with air being shut off.
A separation of components for regenerating the adsorption agent and a connection of components for a new adsorption cycle, such that air cannot pass out of the surrounding atmosphere into the components or into the lines connecting them, allow process control in an as it were closed operating circuit. This closed operating circuit is preferably to be permanently below atmospheric pressure and then makes an appreciably energy saving possible. This applies to the vacuum required in each case between the evaporator and reactor during adsorption and also between the reactor and condenser, to be precise when a vacuum is also expedient in the condenser during desorption.
The appliance for carrying out the invention provides for the components to be connectable to one another and releasabley from one another at least partially, individually and/or in groups, in a pressure-tight or vacuum-tight manner and with air being shut off. This takes place preferably with the aid of couplings free of dead space in at least some of the lines connecting the components.